


The Jasmine Dragon

by ariya167



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, F/M, Getting Together, May Maiko Week 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-05-10 03:49:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14729399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariya167/pseuds/ariya167
Summary: For the Maiko Week prompt 'Yearn'.





	The Jasmine Dragon

Zuko glanced up from behind the counter, and his gaze landed on the girl at the back. She had appeared two days before, at the same time and with the same order: a small, black tea. When she had taken her cup back and cracked open a heavy textbook by the window, Uncle appeared by his shoulder and sighed. 

“What is it?”

“It’s a shame such a beautiful girl likes such ordinary tea,” He commiserated, and Zuko rolled his eyes. “Tomorrow you should recommend the jasmine blend.” 

“Uh-huh,” Zuko said, turning to the next customer. “Welcome to the Jasmine Dragon. What can I get for you today?”

“Just think about it,” Uncle said, walking away to help another customer “She looks like a very nice girl.” 

~

“Would you like to try our signature jasmine blend?” Zuko said, internally cringing at himself. The girl-Mai, at least according to her cup-simply raised an eyebrow. 

“No thanks,” She said, picking up her cup and heading back to her usual table. Zuko cursed his lack of social skills, while Aang-one of his friends who occasionally picked up shifts at the shop-came up behind him.

“Who was that?” He asked enthusiastically, excited as always to glean some new information about Zuko’s personal life. 

“A customer,” Zuko answered automatically, then sighed. “Fine, her name is Mai.”

“She’s pretty,” Aang nodded wisely as if he wasn’t fourteen and barely even legally allowed to work, let alone possess romantic insight. “In a gloomy sort of way.”

“Yeah,” He said, before shaking his head. “We’re being creepy. Get back to work.”

“Yes, Sifu Hotman!” Aang saluted, ducking away before he could say anything. Zuko grimaced, and grabbed a mug to wash down. 

~

The next day, Mai ordered the jasmine. Thankfully, Zuko stopped himself from completely gaping at her, but his mouth fell open in surprise.

“Uh . . . are you sure?” He asked, desperately trying to salvage his dignity. “Because-”

“Yes,” She said, rolling her eyes. “I figure if the shop’s named after this tea, it must be at least halfway decent.” Her lips curved into a small, wry small, and Zuko’s heart stuttered. 

“Oh, yeah, I guess, uh, yeah. Sure.” He finished lamely, scribbling it down onto his notepad. “It’ll be ready in a second.”

“Thanks,” She said dryly, quickly turning on her heel and heading to her table. Not that it was her table specifically, because plenty of other people sat there, but, well, it was her table. 

Uncle smiled brightly at him while he brewed the tea. “I see she’s finally come to her senses! Tell her it’s on the house.” 

“Uncle-” Zuko said, but he only raised a hand. 

“It is no matter,” Uncle insisted, and Zuko didn’t feel like arguing with that. He brewed the tea quickly-as much as he pretended indifference, he had picked up a certain finesse after working at the shop-and took it out to Mai. 

Her table was tucked into a corner, away from the big windows spanning most of the shop’s walls. It made sense she wouldn’t like sunlight, Zuko thought wryly, until he realized it was probably so she didn’t get any glare on her laptop screen. 

Zuko set the cup down gingerly in between her computer and the textbooks surrounding it. “On the house,” He said with false cheerfulness in his tone, instantly regretting it when Mai looked up disdainfully. 

“Thanks,” She said, taking a small sip. “It’s good-you should tell your uncle.”

“I will,” Zuko said, then paused, searching for a topic of conversation. “What are you studying, if you don’t mind me asking?” 

“Political science,” Mai sighed, lifting the cover of her textbook to show him. “I don’t mind it that much, but I hate reading all the old Greek texts.” 

“Yeah,” Zuko nodded. He hadn’t taken poli sci yet, but he was dreading it. 

“What about you?” She asked carefully, closing her laptop and turning to regard him with an inscrutable expression. 

“Me? Oh, I’m undecided,” Zuko admitted, and something in her face lightened.

“Thought so. You don’t seem like the college type,” 

He shrugged. “I’m. . . not sure that I am. Just trying it, for now.” He almost sat down after that, hoping to continue his conversation with her, until he remembered the shop full of customers around them. “I should probably get back-”  
Mai nodded, and he hurried back to the counter, sneaking a glance at her out of the corner of his eye. There was something different in her expression-maybe interest, Zuko speculated. No, he wasn’t going to do this. He wasn’t going to pine after a girl in a tea shop, no matter how pretty, and mysterious, and funny she was. 

He spent the next two hours of his shift throwing himself into his work to distract himself. If Uncle noticed the change-which he probably did-than at least he didn’t comment on it, Zuko thought gratefully while he finished up, grabbing his coat from the rack.

“See you tomorrow, Uncle!” He said, fishing in his pocket for his keys. His Uncle simply raised an eyebrow, and Zuko tensed himself for the life lesson that was sure to follow.

“That Mai really is a nice girl,” He said pointedly, and Zuko sighed.

“Uh-huh,”

He narrowed his eyes, regarding Zuko suspiciously. “I’m just saying-”

“Goodbye, Uncle!” He said, hurrying out the door before he could say anything else. Normally, he could stand his Uncle’s long diatribes about his problems-mostly because they actually were helpful, not that he’d ever admit it-but when it came to his love life? No thank you. 

The apartment they shared was only a block away from the shop, but still close enough for Zuko to walk to uni. It was in a prime location, and he still wasn’t sure how they’d been able to afford it. Nevertheless, it was nice and spacious, and unlike the apartment he’d moved into during high school, it was big enough for his own bedroom. 

He had to jiggle the key in the lock until it popped open, and tossed his coat onto a hook. Gingerly, he stepped over the piles of books on the floor to make it to his room, then closed the door and relaxed.

The room was admittedly, quite small, but there was enough space for his bed and his desk and his two-hundred dollar textbooks, and the old band posters on the wall he hadn’t had the heart to take down yet. Zuko sat down on his bed, the old frame creaking under his weight, and his thoughts turned back to Mai. 

He was tempted to say she was unlike any girl he had ever met-only he didn’t know enough about her to make the distinction. But she was smart, and scathing, and beautiful-the kind of girl that hated the whole world. Zuko just hoped she didn’t hate him. 

But that was the thing, wasn’t it? He could continue thinking and pining after an idealized version of her-which was super weird and creepy-or he could bite the bullet, try to get to know her, and see where it went. 

Zuko pulled his phone out of his pocket, and opened his contacts before he even knew what he was doing. Then he paused. I could call Azula, he thought, then immediately dismissed it. The moment she heard he had a problem, especially a problem with his love life, he’d never hear the end of it. Toph would be the same, which was kind of disconcerting to think about. His finger hovered over the screen, until, in a rush, he clicked on Sokka’s name.

It only took a few rings before he picked up. 

“Hey, buddy!” He answered, oddly jubilant. 

“Hey, Sokka. Uh, how’s it going?” 

“Good, yeah. Suki came over earlier, and it was pretty fun, if you know what I mean?”

The moment Zuko figured out what he did mean, he recoiled. “Ugh, no! I do not want to hear about your sexual exploits.”

Sokka laughed. “Suit yourself. So, why’d you call?”

This was it. Now or never. “Well-” Zuko coughed. “There’s this girl-”

“A girl?” Sokka said loudly, his obvious delight almost tangible. “Really?”

“Yeah, I mean, like, I met her at the shop. Her name’s Mai, and she’s taking poli sci at the university, and she’s really funny and smart and-” Zuko sighed. “Look, I just don’t want to pine after her. I want to do something.”

Sokka paused for a moment. “Well, that’s simple. Just give her your number, next time you see her.”

“That’s . . . it?” Zuko said incredulously, and peals of laughter came from Sokka’s end.

“Basically, yeah. Just-you want to stop wasting your life pining after this girl, right?” 

“Yeah . . .” Zuko replied slowly, unsure if his question was some sort of trap.

“Then just get it over with! Take a chance! Stop being such a wimp!” 

“Fine,” He said hastily, hoping to end the verbal dressing-down. “Okay, fine. I’ll do it tomorrow.”

“There you go!” 

“Thanks for the advice.”

“Yeah, yeah. See you next week,” With a click, Sokka hung up. Zuko laid back on the bed with a sigh, and dropped his phone on his desk. So this was it, he decided. Tomorrow he would give Mai his number, and hopefully not screw it up, or act like more of a disaster than he already was. 

He laid like that for some time, comforted by the growing darkness outside his window and the soft silence of the apartment, until he drifted down into sleep. 

~

Zuko woke the next morning to the blare of his alarm. Momentarily confused, he tried to blink through the haze of sleep and shut off the noise, but it took three tries before his hand could find his phone. He rubbed the remaining sleep out of his eyes, and pulled himself to a standing position. There was enough time to have a shower, and he padded out of his bedroom and towards the bathroom.

Ten minutes later, clean and dressed in clothes he hadn’t slept in, Zuko checked his watch. Only half an hour until his shift, so he grabbed a bagel from the kitchen and ate it on his way to the shop. His Uncle was already there, happily bustling about and preparing for the inevitable arrival of customers.

“Good morning, nephew!” He greeted cheerfully, passing Zuko his apron. He tied it on balefully-he loved his uncle, but the design for the Jasmine Dragon bordered more on garish than tasteful. 

“Morning,” He responded, and rested his forearms on the counter, staring at the still-closed door. 

“Something is on your mind, I think,” Uncle remarked, and Zuko sighed. 

“It’s nothing, Uncle. Just-” He sighed again. He did not want to get into this.

“Does it have anything to do with that nice girl who came in yesterday?” He asked, and then when Zuko started to protest, held up a hand. “Ah, you don’t have to tell me. The only thing I will say is that whatever you are concerned with, I hope it will resolve itself well.” 

Zuko smiled. “Thanks, Uncle.” 

It wasn’t long before customers started arriving, but Zuko couldn’t stop glancing towards the door. Finally, the bell over the door frame rang, and his gaze shot back to see Mai walk inside. 

“Hey,” He said when she reached the counter, though his inner thoughts consisted more of don’t fuck it up on repeat. 

“Hey,”

“Uh, a small black tea, I’m guessing?” Don’t fuck it up, don’t fuck it up.

Mai’s eyebrow quirked. “Why not,”

“Right,” Zuko said, turning to grab a mug and brewing the tea. When he turned back, he took a deep breath to calm his fraying nerves before setting the cup down on the counter. “Listen, I, uh . . .” 

“Yes?” Mai asked. 

Now or never. “Okay, so I’ve never done this before, and you don’t have to say yes or even feel the same way or anything, but I really like you and I was wondering if I could give my number?”

At first Mai didn’t say anything, and Zuko worried that he’d messed it up somehow, until a small smile curved across her lips. “Sure.” 

“Really? Oh, wow, okay,” Zuko rambled as he struggled to find a scrap of paper to write his number on, and Mai chuckled softly. Finally, he ripped a sheet of paper out of his orders notebook, and scribbled it down for her.

“I’ll call you,” She said, taking her mug in one hand and the paper in the other. 

“Yeah,” He said, half-dazed, and committed the sight of her smile to memory.


End file.
